The Battle for Houston...The Aftermath

by T I WADE

  “Thank you all. Now we need to move to the more somber part of this first Congressional meeting since the fateful day, January 1st,” continued the president. Preston looked over at Martie, saw her face had a tear halfway down it and he felt for her hand and held it. “We have just about completed the clearing of bodies in and around our twenty main cities, many to the north of us and many to the south. We still have over 300 crematoriums working across the country, but the burning pits are now complete. After seven months of counting our population, we have 47,568,990 citizens alive and well in the United State of America.” There was a gasp from many in the chamber. So few people! “We will never know how many American died; we estimate 273 million people did not survive this attack on our country for many reasons. Please rise and observe a moment of silence for our fallen family members, friends, citizens of the United States of America, and citizens of the world who did not survive this terrible catastrophe.”

  “The two main causes of death were exposure to cold and gunshot wounds,” continued the president a couple of minutes later as the silent chamber sat down. “As far as the rest of the world is concerned, we believe that over four billion people have died because of the ideas of one man. Nobody on earth has ever caused as many deaths as this one man, Chinese CEO of Zedong Electronics, Chairman Wang Chunqiao. This man will be remembered throughout history as the man who nearly rid the earth of mankind. His actions have put the world back into the dark ages, and I’m afraid we will be “dark” for decades to come.

  “Moving forward, I can say one positive thing: At this moment there is probably not one war being waged between any people or factions on earth. It is the first time in our history that the world is completely clear of war, and I hope, for God’s sake, it stays that way for the rest of my life.” There was much agreement about that.

  “Now we need to rebuild. We need to rebuild our complete infrastructure and, this effort started within days after the New Year. We have some of the best engineers in the world, thousands of them, working on new ideas to bring our country back to the grandness we knew last year. It is going to take time, but we will see these advancements through and win. We have enough food for our people. It must have been God’s work, as there was no way our systems could have fed 300 million people. It was a struggle to feed that number before this happened. All our citizens have been placed on farms, or in positions of work to feed, aid and advance our country. For the first time in our lives, money does not rule. I’m sure that in the future people will again be seduced by the power that money can bring, but until that happens we are doing OK. Electricity is being generated to small areas. Many hospitals are up and running across the country and the remaining population is strong and ready to work. I’m more proud to be the President of the United States this year, with what we have achieved, than at any earlier time in office.” There was loud applause.

  “As I promised, we need to form a new House of Representatives and Senate, and I will be sending out letters of invitation to people who I believe will be an asset to our country. They will join the current remaining members of Congress, and we will have a complete and running system of government by Christmas this year. I must admit, it has been peaceful for the last couple of months as president not having the House of Representatives to fight, but all good things must come to an end.” There was much laughter and applause.

  “Our new police force is going through training. We have 200,000 military police from all the armed forces joining the 22,000 remaining police officers who will from January 1st, keep the rule of law across our land. Our armed forces will keep our country free and democratic until the military hands over control to the new police force on January 1st. Amtrak is working well, and we have the complete country under workable rail. Our farms and farm communities are doing well; a total of ten million people are working to feed the population and already preparing for winter. We have collected as many vaccines and medical treatments for illness and disease as we can and are prepared if any disease spreads into our mid-country living areas. We plan to open up the southern areas in the next year or two, depending on many safety factors and the northern areas after that.”

  “Lastly, I will organize presidential elections as soon as possible to do so and then I can hand over the administration of the country to a duly elected president. Thank you all for your individual services to your country. Thank you all!” The president left the chamber.

  At the president’s exit the Speaker made a final announcement, “Please join the president and members of Congress for refreshments in the Rotunda. We would like to hear from anybody who would like to make any suggestions to everyone congregated here. Afterwards, we will adjourn and the helicopters will take you back to Andrews. Thank you.”

  “So, Carlos, when are we going to hear about your Colombian battles,” inquired Martie as they got up to leave.

  Sally joined them and inspected him from head to foot and gently gave him a hug. “See, I let you out of my sight for a couple of weeks and you come back looking like somebody used you for target practice! Once we are married, lover boy, you will not be trusted to travel back to Colombia without me. What’s wrong with you guys, not looking after my man here?” she stated, looking sternly at Manuela, who was standing by.

  “He will tell you, Senorita Sally. We were not in a position to protect him. Even the American Seal Team couldn’t protect him,” she replied smiling back sweetly.

  “We all look pretty medaled up here. I wonder where they found all these medals?” Preston asked. “I’m sure there were more soldiers who should have received medals.”

  “I was told that these were all they had in stock,” commented Buck, coming up to see if Carlos was alright. “The president has a hundred people on his list who are going to get medals, but more medals have to be made first.”

  “I heard there are fresh doughnuts and fresh Colombian coffee,” added Maggie coming up to join them with Will, Ben and Oprah.

  Everybody congratulated each other on the new medals hanging around their necks.

  “We have lost the world’s coffee market for our Colombian coffee,” added Carlos as the group made their way towards the Rotunda. “Colombia is hoping to swap coffee and other items for electronics and, Preston, I think I found a way we can get our 747 licenses.”

  “Now, that is something I’m looking forward to,” replied Preston. “And, flying that transporter as well as Majors Wong and Chong will make my day.”

  “I asked the president to meet with us over the weekend. He is coming down for the weddings, and I think those two majors should be our instructors,” replied Carlos “This is something even Sally can’t teach us.”

  “I’m officially retired after getting my medal. Jennifer and I will be civilians tomorrow, but we might like to fly right seat at least, lover boy,” added Sally. “We aren’t married yet, but I’m working on my husband-domination protocols as we speak.”

  “I’m thinking Colombia could be safer than being married…and don’t you hit an injured person, Major, or I’ll get Manuela to sort you out,” replied Carlos smiling at Preston.

  The coffee, doughnuts and Danish were excellent, and it seemed that there wasn’t much going on. The president wasn’t in the Rotunda and didn’t make an appearance. After half an hour the Speaker apologized and said that the schedule had been changed, the day had come to an end and the helicopters were ready.

  Chapter 4

  Wedding Days

  Oliver and Puppy were happy to hear the first aircraft returning. The sun was getting low, they had missed the kids in the pool, chewed and broken the only plastic pool bed and fell asleep in the shade of the porch in late afternoon.

  One by one the aircraft arrived. Both DC-3s came in first with a lone C-130 bringing in more people.

  The late afternoon heat hit everyone as they deplaned and headed for several of the buildings where the air conditioners were doing their job.

  “I’m going to get my w
ound dressed and I’ll see you by the pool, Preston,” said Carlos, heading towards the hangar. Sally stayed next to him in case he needed help.

  Joe, David, and their group wanted to head back to their house, get out of their fancy clothes, grab some meat and come back to get the BBQ started. Martie and the two young ones headed inside to get swim suits on, and Preston hit the closest fridge for a cold Yuengling and made himself comfortable on the porch.

  Mike Mallory arrived in his Cessna 210, in formation with Michael Roebels’ Beechcraft, and they headed towards the largest building once they closed their aircraft down. Preston noted that Mike Mallory had a large suitcase with him, waved as he closed his aircraft’s door, and headed to the large building with Martie’s father.

  Nobody else was due to arrive; the general, the admiral, the president, and others wanting to attend the two weddings would arrive the next day, Friday, for the festivities. It was beer time in North Carolina, and he was really looking forward to hearing how his friend had been injured. It all seemed rather hush-hush!

  The noise from the direction of the swimming pool began as Preston, his medal now on the table next to him dozed, eyes closed; he first heard Little Beth’s screams and then the barking of the two dogs. He smiled, envisioning what was going on.

  “Asleep already?” asked Carlos mounting the steps onto the porch alone. “Sally wanted to swim and since I cannot, I decided to bring you up-to-date on Colombia.”

  “Don’t you want to tell everybody at once?” Preston asked, his eyes still shut as he heard Carlos take the white rocking chair next to him.

  “Much is still top secret, and on a need-to-know basis,” Carlos replied. “I just had a weird call from the president while I was changing. He had some sort of meeting with a group of corporate CEOs who seemed to have survived this catastrophe unscathed, and they are beginning to demand a few things he doesn’t want to give.”

  “What things?” asked Preston, opening his eyes and looking at Carlos.

  “He wants to have a private meeting with a few of us here, tomorrow—General Patterson, Admiral Rogers, and Mo Wang, of all people. It sounds important and he sounded worried. I‘ve got this weird, uncomfortable feeling that there could be another attack on our country.”

  “So, what’s new?” replied Preston. “It seems everybody wants a slice of this country.”

  “Preston, before we get company, I’ll fill you in on Colombia,” continued Carlos. “The reason I am wounded is that we, the Rodriquez family, were attacked inside the main governmental room by Senator Calderón, the Police Chief, Pedro Gonzalez, and four of their men posing as aides.”

  “You told me there was very heavy security to get into the government chamber,” Preston cut in.

  “Yes, but we also had four Seals in there, also with guns, before the fire fight. Everything happened in a split second, and it wasn’t good,” continued Carlos. “The first people shot were my uncles, the admiral, and Uncle Philippe. The admiral was hit by four bullets at point blank range from the police chief and his aides, luckily only one shot penetrated down the arm hole of his bulletproof jacket and missed most of his vital organs; he is still in intensive care, but he will live, and will continue as Admiral of the Colombian Navy. Uncle Philippe was shot in the head twice from across the table, a shot each from Gonzalez and Calderón, and was dead before he hit the ground. The damage was already done with one uncle dead and one badly wounded.”

  Preston said nothing, but looked at his friend in shock. He had liked the ambassador; he was a straightforward and honest man. “Unfortunately, they had the element of surprise, and six shooters against four. Once Gonzalez shot Uncle Philippe, he, as well as one of Calderon’s “aides” was aiming at my father who was now standing next to me. I pushed him out of the way and I got the bullets meant for him. By this time, Charlie Meyers, who was standing next to me, disintegrated Pedro Gonzalez’s head. On my father’s other side, Sergeant Rodriquez was up and firing, and I think my father, being pushed by me into him ruined his aim for a split second. This second gave the four “aides” behind Calderón and Gonzalez, on the other side of the table, time to shoot the president and six of the most important government ministers before Lieutenant Paul and a fourth Seal sitting on the other side of the room blew the four “aides” to bits, I believe before I even hit the floor. As I said it was all over in a second or two.”

  “The whole Colombian government in one second!” exclaimed Preston.

  “Pretty close,” replied Carlos. “The most important and most powerful government ministers always sat on either side of the president.”

  “What were Calderón’s sons doing?” asked Preston.

  “Nothing; they didn’t move. The senator collapsed back into his chair, his right arm spewing blood from three shots from our side of the room. I was told that he just sat there looking triumphant with a broad smile on his face. The guards in charge of the captives were slow to act and by the time they moved, two Seals, Manuela, and Dani, crashed through the door offering to shoot them all if there was any movement from them or the captives.”

  “I’m sorry to hear about Philippe, he was a good man,” Preston replied.

  “He would have become the next president, that is why both men shot him,” continued Carlos. “The president is now dead, and the vice-president has been missing for a couple of weeks, so Uncle Philippe was sure to be the first choice to become president. While I was being rushed to the hospital, the remaining government officials decided right there and then, and with all the blood on the floor and walls, to elect my father as president… which means that now, I am the son of the President of Colombia. Unbelievable!” Carlos exclaimed.

  Preston was totally silent, and again in shock. It was as hard for him to believe as it was for Carlos.

  “I was released from the hospital four days later. Even though it was only a flesh wound of sorts, the bullet hit a blood vessel or something, and much of the blood on the floor, was mine.”

  “It must have been close, you reaching the hospital and getting blood into you?” Preston asked.

  “Yes, but don’t tell anybody. I am O-Positive, and they had me connected and were pumping blood into me minutes after the ambulance got me to the hospital. Sergeant Rodriquez and Manuela, I was told, held my wound to halt the bleeding all the way. Thanks to them I’m alive today. Please, Preston, don’t tell Sally any of this. I will tell her in my own good time in a few days when we have time to talk. Let’s get this meeting with the president over tomorrow morning, and our weddings behind us on Saturday, and then I think things will come together.” Preston silently agreed.

  “What happened to the Calderóns?” Preston asked.

  “They managed to keep the senator alive for a week, while I regained enough strength to leave the hospital. My father wanted to wait for my uncle, the admiral, to regain strength, but he was, and still is, in the ICU, so they decided to go ahead with the trial. The court was convened the day after I was discharged and the trial lasted two days…”

  “Preston, Preston, Carlos, come and swim?” asked a dripping Little Beth from below the stairs to the porch looking up at them, her eyes pleading.

  “Sorry, little girl, Carlos and I are having a meeting,” replied Preston. “I will be there shortly. Now go and play and I’ll join you when we are finished.”

  “Why are grown-ups always having meetings?” Little Beth complained, shaking her head and running back to the cool water. Carlos smiled. He wasn’t able to swim yet, but the thought of it was pleasant.

  “The justice system took two days to conclude the trial. Senator Calderón knew he was done for, and his sons never said a word during the two days. The Senator lambasted the government for listening to my uncles. He stated to the court that the assassinated president was a puppet of the Rodriquez family and he, and the government officials, should be on trial, not him. He reminded the court how his father was killed by my grandmother, shot at point blank range. When the court ask
ed him about his father shooting farmers and other innocent victims decades ago, he just smiled and told the entire room that his father was just cleaning the trash out of the country.”

  “Innocent farmers are trash?” Preston asked.

  “He happily stated that anybody who wasn’t a Calderón today, or in the Calderón Cartel, or other family cartels, was totally unimportant to the country. He reminded us Colombians that three of his ancestors ruled this area of South America for 40 out of 120 years, and the Calderón family still had a say in the running of the country with him as senator.”

  “They did?” Preston asked.

  “Yes, but the judge reminded the senator that the last time the senator’s family had ruled Colombia was over 150 years ago, and the man was called Arboleda. He had taken over power in a coup, and didn’t have a very productive history, nor did any of Calderón’s earlier ancestors. There was much laughter in the court room. The judge certainly knew his history. He even mentioned that my ancestor, Mariano Ospina Rodríguez, ruled well for six years before Arboleda, I think, and men from several other good and prominent Colombian families had been president since then. And the judge reminded the senator that, although he may have forgotten, the president he had personally shot also had the last name Calderón, but that didn’t seem to matter!”

  Preston looked at Carlos in shock. “The president was also a Calderón?” He shook his head; Latin America was a hard country to understand.

  “That was why my uncles were always careful around the president. They didn’t know what side he was on, but now we now know he wasn’t aiding the other Calderón family.

  “So, what happened?” stated Preston urgently.

  “They were all found guilty of treason. Colombia did away with executions years ago because Colombia used some of the worst ways to kill people, and it was important to stop all forms of execution; but, several of the ministers who had survived the chamber massacre wanted it back, forcing my father to temporarily reinstate death by firing squad.